(Photo Credit: Chad Ryan)

Out of Hialeah, Florida, in 2007 Armando Allen was considered to be the #2 all purpose running back in the nation. This lofty rating came despite the fact he had broken his leg and was unable to even play his senior High school season.

Injuries unfortunately became a common theme during his Notre Dame Career, but he did manage to lead the Irish in all-purpose yards as a freshman and in rushing his sophomore and junior years.

Allen was equally adept at catching the football as well as running it.  In 2008 he put up his most complete year when he caught 50 passes and rushed 134 times totaling 940 rushing receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. He nearly duplicated those numbers as a Junior totaling 913 yards and 3 TDs, despite missing 4 games due to injury.

In his senior year, 2010, Allen scored the first TD of the Brian Kelly era in Kelly’s first game against Purdue. In that season he went on to total another 652 yards from scrimmage, again despite again missing 4 games to injury.

As further proof of his all-purpose skills, Allen threw 3 halfback option passes during his ND career. He was 3-3 with a touchdown, for which he tallied a QB rating of 260.4 for collegiate career!

Allen had a short career with the Chicago Bears and then went into coaching. He is currently the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator under another All-time Irish Hero, Autry Denson, at Charleston Southern.

Armando Allen showed plenty of flashes of the potential he had shown in high school, but injuries starting in his senior year in High school continued during his Notre Dame career. None the less, he goes down in ND history with 4337 all-purpose yards, 5th most in school history.

And for that accomplishment, Armando Allen is an All-Time Irish Hero

ByPhil Houk

For over 25 years, bringing you the glory of Notre Dame football.

3 thoughts on “Armando Allen: All-Time Irish Hero”
    1. Hi Garrett. Trolling is fairly normalized nowdays, but if you’re gonna troll, make sure you are right. Ive looked at the article and I do not see any misspells of Armando Allen’s name. Better luck on the next one. And as always, go Irish!

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